Swindon Town Season Preview 2021/22: There’s always one

Every season there is at least one side that starts off as a complete basket case. Swindon took that to new heights this summer.

They had the indignity of being relegated at the same times as putting up with John Sheridan football, and then things, believe it or not, got worse.

Lee Power was in a court battle involving Gareth Barry’s agent regarding ownership of the club with Michael Standing claiming he’d bought a stake despite football intermediaries being banned from doing so according to EFL rules.

With lawyers getting rich, Clem Morfuni’s Axis group was eventually granted permission to acquire the shares required for the Australian businessman to take control. While all this was happening, Swindon were shedding players, John McGreal came and went and pre-season was being taken by goalkeeper coach Steve Mildenhall.

Credit must go to all the staff who helped keep the club ticking over, with most not getting paid while doing so. They now have an owner who has promised to make the fans proud but with his takeover coming so late in the summer, he’ll need to start praying for a few miracles if his side are going to compete on the pitch in 2021/22.

They appointed Ben Garner as the new manager and quickly put in place a CEO and director of football, but the former Bristol Rovers boss has his work cut out, a fact he’ll be well aware of.

The Squad

This shouldn’t take long…

Including some youth talent, it appears Swindon only have about 11 players in the building. The good thing is a few of those are good professionals who will more than capable of playing League Two football.

Brett Pitman has just left but the likes of Dion Conroy, Mathieu Baudry and Jordan Lyden all remain. They also still have Jack Payne to call upon, a player who should be able to run the show in the fourth tier. The squad is, therefore, lighter than a feather resting on a helium balloon, not ideal with the season start so close.

A lot, therefore, needs to be done but at least they have two solid keepers in Jojo Wollacott and Lewis Ward. Both have played at this level and are a fine pair to start the campaign, now they need to hope there will be enough people available to play in front of them as using rush goalies is not an ideal way to begin the season.

Newcomer to watch: Ben Gladwin

Midfielder Ben Gladwin is a really good signing for any League Two side, but in Swindon’s circumstances, it is excellent. The 29-year-old is back for his fourth spell at the County Ground having had two loan spells and a permanent stint between 2013 and 2015.

He’s played most of his career at a higher level than League Two and was a decent player during his time with MK Dons. This is just what Swindon need to help them field a competitive team and, hopefully, more new signings will join in short order.

Verdict

Clem Morfuni is the owner, that is the most important thing to take from all this regardless of what happens on the pitch. Now that is sorted, he can start rebuilding the club which was scandalously left to rot by the previous incumbent. Staying up is the target, pure and simple, and even that feels like a big ask at the time of writing.

words James Richards, D3D4 Football